"... Abstract. In order to adapt functionality to their individual users, systems need information about these users. The Social Web provides opportunities to gather user data from outside the system itself. Aggregated user data may be useful to address cold-start problems as well as sparse user profiles ..."

Abstract. In order to adapt functionality to their individual users, systems need information about these users. The Social Web provides opportunities to gather user data from outside the system itself. Aggregated user data may be useful to address cold-start problems as well as sparse user profiles, but this depends on the nature of individual user profiles distributed on the Social Web. For example, does it make sense to re-use Flickr profiles to recommend bookmarks in Delicious? In this article, we study distributed form-based and tag-based user profiles, based on a large dataset aggregated from the Social Web. We analyze the completeness, consistency and replication of form-based profiles, which users explicitly create by filling out forms at Social Web systems such as Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. We also investigate tag-based profiles, which result from social tagging activities in systems such as Flickr, Delicious and StumbleUpon: to what extent do tag-based profiles overlap between different systems, what are the benefits of aggregating tag-based profiles. Based on these insights, we developed and evaluated the performance of several cross-system user modeling strategies in the context of recommender systems. The evaluation results show that the proposed methods solve the cold-start problem and improve recommendation quality significantly, even beyond the cold-start. 1

... 2009] and Google’s Social Graph API 5 enables application developers to obtain the social connections of an individual user across different services. Generic user modeling servers such as CUMULATE [=-=Yudelson et al., 2007-=-] or PersonIs [Assad et al., 2007] as well as frameworks we developed for mashing up profile information [Abel et al., 2005, 2009b, 2008] facilitate handling of aggregated user data. Given these devel...

"... As the Web grows and the amount of available information increases, new problems such as information overload or lost-in-hyperspace problem emerge. The solution is to shift from “one-size-fits-all ” approach and to provide personalized surfing experience, which would take into account differences am ..."

As the Web grows and the amount of available information increases, new problems such as information overload or lost-in-hyperspace problem emerge. The solution is to shift from “one-size-fits-all ” approach and to provide personalized surfing experience, which would take into account differences among users. These differences are captured in a user model, a structure holding all relevant user-related information. We present contributions in both data collection and processing stages of user modeling process, focusing on open corpus web-based systems, where the content can be dynamically added or changed and we have no content available in the design stage of the web-based system. We introduce two methods falling within the scope of data collection stage, a method for comprehensive logging of user activity on the Web with preserved semantics, which combines client side and server side logging into a stream of user events with clearly defined meaning, and a method for capturing logs of “wild ” Web surfing based on a specialized proxy sever. The second group of methods, devoted to actual user model creation within an open corpus environment consists of a method for user model inference based on rules expressing navigational patterns, a method for term-based open corpus user modeling, which can be applied to capture user’s interest across the third-party web-sites and web-based systems. We proposed also a method for finding relations between terms based on folksonomies, which supports our term-based user modeling approach. The proposed methods were evaluated by means of software tools that were incorporated in research projects aimed Recommended by thesis supervisor:

...ame user model between several adaptive applications, where each one could take advantage of knowledge acquired by others. One example of a user modeling server is CUMULATE (Brusilovsky et al., 2005; =-=Yudelson et al., 2007-=-) a generic user modeling server applied in the domain of e-Learning (so we call it also student-modeling server). It is based on the KnowledgeTree architecture (Brusilovsky, 2004). This architecture ...

"... Abstract. While browsing the Web, providing profile information in social networking services, or tagging pictures, users leave a plethora of traces. In this paper, we analyze the nature of these traces. We investigate how user data is distributed across different Web systems, and examine ways to ag ..."

Abstract. While browsing the Web, providing profile information in social networking services, or tagging pictures, users leave a plethora of traces. In this paper, we analyze the nature of these traces. We investigate how user data is distributed across different Web systems, and examine ways to aggregate user profile information. Our analyses focus on both explicitly provided profile information (name, homepage, etc.) and activity data (tags assigned to bookmarks or images). The experiments reveal significant benefits of interweaving profile information: more complete profiles, advanced FOAF/vCard profile generation, disclosure of new facets about users, higher level of self-information induced by the profiles, and higher precision for predicting tag-based profiles to solve the cold start problem. 1

...daries [6]. Google’s Social Graph API 4 enables application developers to obtain the social connections of an individual user across different services. Generic user modeling servers such as CUMULATE =-=[7]-=- or PersonIs [8] as well as frameworks for mashing up profile information [9] appear that facilitate handling of aggregated user data. Given these developments, it becomes more and more important to i...

"... Personalization of web-based information systems based on specialized user models has become more important in order to preserve the effectiveness of their use as the amount of available content increases. We describe a user modeling approach based on automated acquisition of user behaviour and it ..."

Personalization of web-based information systems based on specialized user models has become more important in order to preserve the effectiveness of their use as the amount of available content increases. We describe a user modeling approach based on automated acquisition of user behaviour and its successive rule-based evaluation and transformation into an ontological user model. We stress reusability and flexibility by introducing a novel approach to logging, which preserves the semantics of logged events. The successive analysis is driven by specialized rules, which map usage patterns to knowledge about users, stored in an ontology-based user model. We evaluate our approach via a case study using an enhanced faceted browser, which provides personalized navigation support and recommendation.

"... Abstract. Client-based intelligent tutoring systems present challenges for content distribution, software updates, and research activity. With server-based intelligent tutoring systems, it is possible to easily distribute new and updated content, deploy new features and bug fixes, and allow research ..."

Abstract. Client-based intelligent tutoring systems present challenges for content distribution, software updates, and research activity. With server-based intelligent tutoring systems, it is possible to easily distribute new and updated content, deploy new features and bug fixes, and allow researchers to more easily perform randomized, controlled studies with minimal client-side changes. Building a scalable system architecture that provides reliable service to students, teachers, and researchers is a challenge for server-based intelligent tutors. Our research team has built Assistment, a web-based tutor used by hundreds of students every day in the Worcester and Pittsburgh areas. Scaling up a server-based intelligent tutoring system requires a particular focus on speed and reliability from the software and system developers. This paper discusses the evolution of our architecture and how it has reduced the cost of authoring ITS and improved the performance and reliability of the system.

...shing many of the basic tasks to the clients. However, we still wished to avoid a thick-client implementation for many reasons like in the case of the Push and Pull approach of CUMULATE and CUMULATE2 =-=[6]-=-. One of the most important reasons for retaining a thin-client model is accessibility. Beyond a reasonably modern web browser with support for JavaScript, no special software or third-party applicati...

"... Abstract. With the growth of adaptive educational systems available to students, integration of these systems is evolving from an interesting research problem into an important practical task. One of the challenges that needs to be addressed is the development of mechanisms for student model integra ..."

Abstract. With the growth of adaptive educational systems available to students, integration of these systems is evolving from an interesting research problem into an important practical task. One of the challenges that needs to be addressed is the development of mechanisms for student model integration. The architectural principles and representation technologies employed by adaptive educational systems define the applicability of a particular integration approach. This chapter reviews the existing mechanisms and details one of them: the evidence integration.

...eral research teams and from several perspectives: architectures for integrating adaptive systems [4], cross-system personalization [5], [6], user model ontologies [7], [8], and user modeling servers =-=[9]-=-, [10], [11]. The main challenge of using several adaptive systems in parallel (or a distributed adaptive system) is making the whole more than the sum of its parts. In this context, it means that eac...

"... Abstract. Exploiting the rich traces of users ’ Web interaction promises to enable cross-application user modeling techniques, which is in particular interesting for applications that have a small user population or that are used infrequently. In this paper we present a framework for the effective i ..."

Abstract. Exploiting the rich traces of users ’ Web interaction promises to enable cross-application user modeling techniques, which is in particular interesting for applications that have a small user population or that are used infrequently. In this paper we present a framework for the effective interchange of user profiles. In addition to derivation rules for user profile reasoning, the framework employs flexible mash-ups of RSS-based user data streams for combining heterogeneous user data in a Web 2.0 environment. 1

...reement between all parties on a common representation and semantics [12]. As described in the introduction, this is the philosophy underlying the generic user model server approach, used by CUMULATE =-=[13]-=- or PersonIs [14]. Given the wide variety in system objectives and the associated user models, generic 1 http://openid.net/ 2Workshop on Adaptation and Personalization for Web 2.0, UMAP'09, June 22-2...

"... Abstract. Growing need for information retrieval, information processing, and the associated need for navigation in existing information spaces resulted in several approaches that aim to improve efficiency of the respective user tasks. However, problems related to user navigation and orientation in ..."

Abstract. Growing need for information retrieval, information processing, and the associated need for navigation in existing information spaces resulted in several approaches that aim to improve efficiency of the respective user tasks. However, problems related to user navigation and orientation in large open information spaces still persist possibly due to increasing demands and the imperfections of individual approaches. We propose an integrated search and navigation solution that takes advantage of the faceted browsing paradigm and visual navigation in graphs both extended with support for automatic personalization based on user context also taking advantage of a user’s social network. The proposed solution is primarily evaluated in the domain of scientific publications, i.e. digital libraries, with possible extensions to other application domains. 1

... modeling process and employ automated means of user model construction based on the monitoring and evaluation of user behavior. Our approach is similar to other user modeling server based approaches =-=[15]-=-. Each (adaptive) application (either the faceted browser, cluster navigator or their combination) sends records about user actions (evidence) performed within the application to a user modeling serve...

"... Abstract. In this paper we present the so-called Grapple User Modeling Framework (GUMF) which provides user modeling functionality via the Web to applications that would like to offer personalization and adaptation features to their customers. GUMF introduces the notion dataspaces which create a log ..."

Abstract. In this paper we present the so-called Grapple User Modeling Framework (GUMF) which provides user modeling functionality via the Web to applications that would like to offer personalization and adaptation features to their customers. GUMF introduces the notion dataspaces which create a logical view on (possibly distributed) user data and provide advanced contextualization and reasoning mechanisms. We showcase the Mypes service that exploits GUMF dataspaces to connect, aggregate, align and enrich user profile information form the Social Web. 1

"... Many individual instructors—and, in some cases, entire universities—are gravitating towards the use of comprehensive learning management systems (LMSs), such as Blackboard and Moodle, for managing courses and enhancing student learning. As useful as LMSs are, they are short on features that meet cer ..."

Many individual instructors—and, in some cases, entire universities—are gravitating towards the use of comprehensive learning management systems (LMSs), such as Blackboard and Moodle, for managing courses and enhancing student learning. As useful as LMSs are, they are short on features that meet certain needs specific to computer science education. On the other hand, computer science educators have developed—and continue to develop—computer-based software tools that aid in management, teaching, and/or learning in computer science courses. In this report we provide an overview of current CS specific on-line learning resources and guidance on how one might best go about extending an LMS to include such tools and resources. We refer to an LMS that is extended specifically for computer science education as a Computing Augmented Learning Management

...lized to create adaptive learning environments. Initiatives for joining systemsalready exist (see for example the one to join Jeliot 3 and Moodle [91]). Jeliot 3 is also being integrated to CUMULATE =-=[153]-=-, a centralized online user model that provides interfaces to store user activity from different learning applications and to send reports back to the different applications. 6.7 Support for Drill-and...